Australia must overcome fear factor

Moises Henriques has shown his team-mates that to handle the challenging conditions on this tour they need to be alert, but not alarmed

60

In the lead-up to his Test debut, Moises Henriques was told by the coach Mickey Arthur to play fearless cricket. It would be hard to find a better word to describe the way Henriques has approached his batting task in Chennai. Unfortunately for Australia, fear appears to have afflicted the rest of the batsmen, Michael Clarke aside. Fear of a grubber. Fear of a spitter. Fear of a ripping offbreak. Fear of a doosra. They could have been facing Joel Garner unhelmeted and looked less apprehensive.

It is a problem they will need to address quickly. Henriques and Nathan Lyon have forced the match into a fifth day but only a miracle can prevent India taking a 1-0 series lead. The second Test is in Hyderabad, where six months ago R Ashwin took 12 wickets and Pragyan Ojha six in India's innings demolition of New Zealand. If Australia's batsmen remain as nervous against spin in Hyderabad as they have been in Chennai, they might find themselves down 2-0 before they know it.

As Henriques showed in the first innings and again in the second, fearless batting does not mean all-out attack, unless perhaps your name is MS Dhoni. For the Australians, it should mean telling themselves that this is just another pitch, India are just another attack. The surface is a challenge but not an insurmountable one; Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the Indian No.10, batted for nearly three hours on it and by stumps on day four, the Henriques-Lyon partnership had lasted 62 minutes.

The basic tenets of batting do not change with the conditions. What is different is the list of things a batsman can do safely, the range of shots that do not jeopardise his wicket. But whether it's a green seamer or a dead drop-in, a quick and bouncy surface or a dry and dusty track, the idea is the same. Keep the good balls out and put away the bad ones. Concentrate, put a high price on your wicket, but don't get bogged down.

Of course, that is easy to say from the sidelines. The line between timidity and hubris can be difficult to find. In that middle ground a batsman displays patience and self-confidence, but also respect for the bowlers. Too many of the Australians lacked the self-confidence part of the equation in Chennai. In the second innings, Clarke was typically assured but he was the only one of Australia's top six to score at a strike-rate of more than 40; by comparison, five of India's top six scored at 50-plus.

The Australians told themselves they were batting on a minefield and made it so. It can't have helped them to see India open with spin from both ends. In Test cricket that is an extreme move and it told Australia this was an extreme pitch and they had better watch out. Psychologically it was clever of Dhoni. It got in their heads and they began to think of survival more than scoring. They soon forgot that this was a pitch on which Dhoni had just made 224.

Apart from Clarke, who was lbw to a ripping offbreak that pitched in the rough and stayed at ankle height, and Hughes, who edged a ball that spat and bounced high off a good length, nobody else could blame the crumbling surface for their dismissals. Ed Cowan was lbw to a ball that pitched on middle and straightened. So was David Warner. Shane Watson, who was just starting to show some intent, was done by Ashwin's drift and dip. Matthew Wade tried to sweep a ball that was too straight. All fell to errors of judgment, not unplayable balls.

Understandably, the deliveries that stayed low or zipped and bounced had contributed to their clouded minds. After play, Ravindra Jadeja said that the difference between the Australians and the England batsmen India played late last year was that the English were more patient. The Australian ego, he said, would not stand for too many maidens. In fact, this time the opposite was true. Wade fell because he was trying to force the scoring rate, but the rest of the specialists did not.

Henriques showed them that there is a middle ground to occupy, if only they can find it. By stumps he had 75 from 124 balls and had jumped on enough bad ones to strike six fours and two sixes. Generally, they were well judged. Between balls there was a look of complete calmness on his face that had been absent from his team-mates. He had played in the same way in the first innings and after four days had aggregated 143 runs in his first Test, the most any Australian had accumulated on debut since Clarke in Bangalore in 2004.

Henriques' concentration has been his great strength. That was demonstrated by his 60th and 61st deliveries in the second innings. The 60th was too short from Ashwin and Henriques dispatched it for four with a confident pull. It was his first boundary and the moment could have gone to his head. The next ball was a straight skidder that could so easily have bowled him, but Henriques watched it closely and kept it out. Respect the good balls, punish the bad ones.

"It's that type of wicket where you almost have to concentrate as if every ball is your first one," Henriques said after stumps. "You have to stay sharp and make sure you're alert for that one that does act a little differently."

Alert, but not alarmed.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here

Something to think about for both sides: England didn't look too clever at the start of their India test series, but they adapted well and ended up thrashing India at home. England's batsmen (KP and Bell particularly) were terrible in the first test, and in my opinion both were so culpable that they were lucky to stay in the team, but they learned and adapted their games. The selectors learned a valuable lesson re selection of bowlers and bought Monty in.
Australia supporters keep claiming that the their team is on its way back to the top, let's see if they can come back from this hiding. There's no point in crying about the pitches - adapt or die! There's no reason why the batsmen can't adapt their games, but where will the selectors find the spinners needed to counteract the preparation of spin friendly pitches?
India on the other hand, really can't afford to lose another home test series if they are to be taken as seriously as they take themselves.

kmgnath
on February 26, 2013, 8:41 GMT

EXCELLENT PITCH..!!
If Down Under can produce CHIN MUSIC, Chennai can produce SPIN MUSIC,
If a fast blower can't take a wicket, is that mean a flat track!!!, I pity you. Why even the Indian comentators say the same like ENG or AUS, these are turning/Spin pitches, not flat pitches, you have to correct it, this is creating steriotypes. For England series, most of our players(bats men and bowlers) out of form, so england could able to get a different result.
Kudos to MSD, what an inning he has played, he is in purple patch right now. Sachin and Koli got soffocated by Aus on 3rd day morning, the result was Sachin's wicket. Then comes the powerful unorthodox cricketer, He takes the attack back to Aus. Its complete change of the game. Aus were clueless what to do, this is the first time i have seen on their faces, they were in mercy of MSD.

CricketMaan
on February 26, 2013, 7:54 GMT

@Brydon - How many tests have you played, to say that Watto, David et all got out themselves with silly mistake rather than good bowling. You certainly have undermined and belittled quality spin bolwing rather than accepting the inept batting of Aussies. So would you write similar about Indian batting down under as just mindset issue and got out to 'not so unplayable' balls rather than good aussie fast bowling??? Wake up!!

dummy4fb
on February 26, 2013, 7:50 GMT

henriques should be promoted before wade and hughes should be replaced by khawaja,and siddle should be replaced by some spinner then next 2 test matches will be a treat to watch and aussies will give a good fight

warneneverchuck
on February 26, 2013, 7:31 GMT

Well played. Excellent pitch. It produced runs wickets everything. Those who r saying pitch was not good don't know anything abt cricket. If pitch favors pace and swing it's a sporting wicket but if it turns like this it's not a good wicket ? I can't understand this logic. I m sure ENG would have won with a big margin on this pitch as they have 2 quality spinners and great player of spin in KP cook prior etc

dummy4fb
on February 26, 2013, 7:13 GMT

I think the main problem with austRAlian team is their game plan.rather than to score runs with better run rate they should try to waste the time on the pitch....If they had spent more time on the pitch in their first innings; indian team will played on 3rd and 4th day....and it would be difficult for them to take a lead of around 200 and aussies might then take lead of 100-150 runs which would be difficult to achieve on 5th day at this pitch.......and THE STORY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT ALTOGETHER!!

dummy4fb
on February 26, 2013, 7:10 GMT

I think the main problem with austRAlian team is their game plan.rather than to score runs with better run rate they should try to waste the time on the pitch....If they had spent more time on the pitch in their first innings; indian team will played on 3rd and 4th day....and it would be difficult for them to take a lead of around 200 and aussies might then take lead of 100-150 runs which would be difficult to achieve on 5th day at this pitch.......and THE STORY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT ALTOGETHER!!

hnlns
on February 26, 2013, 6:58 GMT

I think the Aussies have given a very good fight in this test match, considering their team has mostly players with hardly any exposure to such conditions. Take out MS Dhoni's monumental effort, and anybody can see that this match could have been tantalizingly close and very difficult to predict a winner.

venkatesh018
on February 26, 2013, 6:26 GMT

Easy to say how to bat but mighty difficult to do in the middle, especially if u are inexperienced in these conditions. This is where the coach and the senior players like Clarke will have a major job to do with the top order batters before the H'bad Test.

g.narsimha
on February 26, 2013, 5:57 GMT

OZWALLY-On similar lines if we take that lucky& chancy century from CLARK what would have been u r score card ,no place for ifs& buts in cricket , the pitch is not that bad as u people want to prove other wise both IND& AUS last wicket pairs would not have lasted for one over.

dummy4fb
on February 26, 2013, 9:44 GMT

Something to think about for both sides: England didn't look too clever at the start of their India test series, but they adapted well and ended up thrashing India at home. England's batsmen (KP and Bell particularly) were terrible in the first test, and in my opinion both were so culpable that they were lucky to stay in the team, but they learned and adapted their games. The selectors learned a valuable lesson re selection of bowlers and bought Monty in.
Australia supporters keep claiming that the their team is on its way back to the top, let's see if they can come back from this hiding. There's no point in crying about the pitches - adapt or die! There's no reason why the batsmen can't adapt their games, but where will the selectors find the spinners needed to counteract the preparation of spin friendly pitches?
India on the other hand, really can't afford to lose another home test series if they are to be taken as seriously as they take themselves.

kmgnath
on February 26, 2013, 8:41 GMT

EXCELLENT PITCH..!!
If Down Under can produce CHIN MUSIC, Chennai can produce SPIN MUSIC,
If a fast blower can't take a wicket, is that mean a flat track!!!, I pity you. Why even the Indian comentators say the same like ENG or AUS, these are turning/Spin pitches, not flat pitches, you have to correct it, this is creating steriotypes. For England series, most of our players(bats men and bowlers) out of form, so england could able to get a different result.
Kudos to MSD, what an inning he has played, he is in purple patch right now. Sachin and Koli got soffocated by Aus on 3rd day morning, the result was Sachin's wicket. Then comes the powerful unorthodox cricketer, He takes the attack back to Aus. Its complete change of the game. Aus were clueless what to do, this is the first time i have seen on their faces, they were in mercy of MSD.

CricketMaan
on February 26, 2013, 7:54 GMT

@Brydon - How many tests have you played, to say that Watto, David et all got out themselves with silly mistake rather than good bowling. You certainly have undermined and belittled quality spin bolwing rather than accepting the inept batting of Aussies. So would you write similar about Indian batting down under as just mindset issue and got out to 'not so unplayable' balls rather than good aussie fast bowling??? Wake up!!

dummy4fb
on February 26, 2013, 7:50 GMT

henriques should be promoted before wade and hughes should be replaced by khawaja,and siddle should be replaced by some spinner then next 2 test matches will be a treat to watch and aussies will give a good fight

warneneverchuck
on February 26, 2013, 7:31 GMT

Well played. Excellent pitch. It produced runs wickets everything. Those who r saying pitch was not good don't know anything abt cricket. If pitch favors pace and swing it's a sporting wicket but if it turns like this it's not a good wicket ? I can't understand this logic. I m sure ENG would have won with a big margin on this pitch as they have 2 quality spinners and great player of spin in KP cook prior etc

dummy4fb
on February 26, 2013, 7:13 GMT

I think the main problem with austRAlian team is their game plan.rather than to score runs with better run rate they should try to waste the time on the pitch....If they had spent more time on the pitch in their first innings; indian team will played on 3rd and 4th day....and it would be difficult for them to take a lead of around 200 and aussies might then take lead of 100-150 runs which would be difficult to achieve on 5th day at this pitch.......and THE STORY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT ALTOGETHER!!

dummy4fb
on February 26, 2013, 7:10 GMT

I think the main problem with austRAlian team is their game plan.rather than to score runs with better run rate they should try to waste the time on the pitch....If they had spent more time on the pitch in their first innings; indian team will played on 3rd and 4th day....and it would be difficult for them to take a lead of around 200 and aussies might then take lead of 100-150 runs which would be difficult to achieve on 5th day at this pitch.......and THE STORY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT ALTOGETHER!!

hnlns
on February 26, 2013, 6:58 GMT

I think the Aussies have given a very good fight in this test match, considering their team has mostly players with hardly any exposure to such conditions. Take out MS Dhoni's monumental effort, and anybody can see that this match could have been tantalizingly close and very difficult to predict a winner.

venkatesh018
on February 26, 2013, 6:26 GMT

Easy to say how to bat but mighty difficult to do in the middle, especially if u are inexperienced in these conditions. This is where the coach and the senior players like Clarke will have a major job to do with the top order batters before the H'bad Test.

g.narsimha
on February 26, 2013, 5:57 GMT

OZWALLY-On similar lines if we take that lucky& chancy century from CLARK what would have been u r score card ,no place for ifs& buts in cricket , the pitch is not that bad as u people want to prove other wise both IND& AUS last wicket pairs would not have lasted for one over.

SamRoy
on February 26, 2013, 5:27 GMT

Three batsman Wade, Cowan and Hughes are not good players of spin. I think Australia should have gone horses for courses in this series i.e. picked the played the best players of spin in the country.

Rahul_78
on February 26, 2013, 4:50 GMT

All the talk of Arthurs and Clarke of being aggressive and fearless has played in to Indian spinners hand. No doubt Chennai wicket is a challenging one but no one apart from Henriques seemed to be in a mood to graft it out. The inclination to play sweep shots with or against the spin looked more a ploy to get out of jail then looking to be aggressive. Bhuvneshwar demonstrated it aptly that if you are ready to buckle down a partnership can be forced. However Warner, Watson, Wade are all naturally aggressive players. Some real test awaits them in coming tests as no doubt pitches will be prepared to assist Indian spinners.

dummy4fb
on February 26, 2013, 2:19 GMT

I really Hope Mitchell Johnson and OKeefe play next game... I really want to see Johnson play...

landl47
on February 26, 2013, 2:15 GMT

The Aussies will examine what went wrong here (not all that much, to be honest) and will come out with fresh determination in the second test. The make-up of the Aussie side in this test (four opening bats, four seamers, one spinner) doesn't look ideal for Indian conditions and maybe a couple of changes will be made. However, never forget this is Australia and they won't be daunted by one defeat.

@riverbaby11: good point- in fact, why stop at another 60 runs? That would still make this last-wicket stand only #12 on the all-time list in a mere 2076 tests. If they can make another 60, surely it's not unreasonable to hope for another 95 runs to make it #1 all-time? That would leave India 136 to win, an almost impossible task on a pitch on which Aus's last pair has made 152.

maddy20
on February 26, 2013, 2:12 GMT

@ SnowSnake
Bhuvaneshwar Kumar added 25 to his overnight's 14 on the same track. Despite of being 8 wickets down, India added 57 runs on day 4 in no time. Its just that the Aus batsmen are so inept and clueless against spin. Henriques showed how to bat on it, and the rest of your batsmen would do well to learn from him. As for Aus fielding two spinners, yeah we are really scared of spinners who concede 192 runs for 3 wickets. In contrast Ashwin picked 7 for 100 on a fresh track on day 1!

funkybluesman
on February 26, 2013, 1:55 GMT

My theory on batting on tricky pitches has always been to play positive and attacking. It stops the bowlers being able to just keep putting the ball in the most dangerous places and keep it there until it gets you. Play controlled, don't get yourself out, and you still might get an unplayable ball like Clarke or Hughes, but at least you'll have a few runs under the belt by then, and hopefully if everyone plays like that you'll get a couple of batsmen who'll get away.

As a batsman, you always want to be doing what the bowler doesn't want you to be doing. On a tricky pitch, if you are just trying to survive and not scoring much then the bowler will happily keep bowling the ball where he wants to and knows eventually he'll get you.

rohanbala
on February 26, 2013, 1:27 GMT

The main reason for the imminent defeat for the OZ team in the current test is due to poor shot selection by some of the top order batsmen. Watson remains a big liability. He failed in the first innings batting at No.4 scoring only 28. They say he likes to open the innings, but on opening the batting in the second innings, he could score only score 17. Scores of 28 and 17 is school boy stuff. Wade appears to be playing his final series unless he comes up with a big score in the remaining matches. Hughes' technical inequalities have resurfaced once again. When a tail ender can last more than 3 hours (Bhuvanesh Kumar), why not a top order batsman? Doherty's chances of playing the rest of the series appears bright.

dummy4fb
on February 26, 2013, 1:19 GMT

@Simoc - 'continuing poor form of Wade'? Are you kidding? He made a century in the test before last.

dummy4fb
on February 26, 2013, 0:58 GMT

Damien Martyn and Gillespie batted for 2 sessions to save the 2004 Chennai test - sublime back foot play. Alistair cook played spin better than the indian players. Damien Martyn and Alistair Cook both scored a lot of their runs with nudges behind square. but numb the spinners they did on supposedly spinning tracks.

wix99
on February 26, 2013, 0:19 GMT

If Australia will probably end up losing the Test by 5 or 6 wickets, but that's certainly a better result than losing by an innings. Full credit to Moises Henriques. If he can manage a century on the final day it will be well deserved.

dummy4fb
on February 25, 2013, 23:15 GMT

couldn't agree more, if you let bowlers push you back to your crease consistently you are doomed you need to take a standtand look like you are coming forward you are better off.. my old skipper used to always say play the ball not the bowler.

blink182alex
on February 25, 2013, 23:11 GMT

we've got enough of a lead already, Henriques to smash a quick 100, then Pattinson and Starc to rip through this brittle Indian batting line up.

Have Faith Aussies, in Clarke we trust.

cricfan05343814
on February 25, 2013, 23:02 GMT

The difference with Henriques for mine is that he played very late and watched each ball closely. Watson and Wade's dismissals looked like they had decided on their stroke and committed without reference to the actual ball being bowled. That is a mental issue - either lack of conetration or lack of confidence in their method. Cowan's was a technical issue, classic playing across the line.

rabsmarshall
on February 25, 2013, 23:00 GMT

austraila's fundamental problem is the 4 opening batsmen. not one of them can lay the foundations on pitches that they play IPL on. there is no excuse nowadays for senior batsman to say they cant read the pitch. whilst they are making millions play IPL there seems to be no prob.. but when it comes to being patient and play test cricket those 4 batsmen are found wanting. aust will lose this series and the Ashes. Australia cannot expect its bowlers to make runs and take wickets. S. Marsh shud open with an elder stateman like D. Hussey to lay the foundation, thats why haydn & langer were so great for Aust. Play the bad balls and respect the pitch, weather and bowlers.

OzWally
on February 25, 2013, 22:40 GMT

As bad as some aspects of our batting, bowling and team selection has been, it really is only the innings of Dhoni between winning and losing this test. Take 200 runs away from India and we would have a nice lead going into the last day.

That being said, too many players had a "deer in the headlights" look about their batting. England made the necessary adjustment from the 1st to 2nd test, can we do the same? With 9 of the 11 playing in their first test in India, I certainly hope they won't be so overawed next week.

Mary_786
on February 25, 2013, 22:37 GMT

Few folks have mentioned this, but Cowan's dropped catch of Kumar was the turning point. A lead that was only 15 at the time turned out to be nearly 200. Its funny that Hughes and Khawaja are picked on for their fielding whereas both those guys are better fielders then Cowan.

Dravid_Pujara_Gravitas
on February 25, 2013, 21:56 GMT

Just a tid-bit, without this Portugal import, Aussies would struggle. Where are the United XI fans aka Poms, when we need them to put things into perspective :-).

hycIass
on February 25, 2013, 21:55 GMT

@SG_Styles yes i would get Khawaja in, but it wouldn't be for Hughes but for Cowan who has had his chances and failed to capitalise. 14 tests in a row is long enough to show what you can do.If it was not for Pattinson we could be looking at 3/500, he was heads and shoulders above the other bowlers.

ygkd
on February 25, 2013, 21:11 GMT

@Sebastien Dezzler - you're right that back-foot play to spin is under-rated. However, that's not all that Henriques did. He also got down the pitch - well down the pitch - almost as far as four metres down - as his delivery intersection map showed. It is surely a combination of both front and back foot play that is best under difficult turning conditions and that is what I was impressed about. And I have to say I'd not seen much to get too excited about Henriques before.

SnowSnake
on February 25, 2013, 20:54 GMT

Mr. Cloverdale:

Give Australian batsmen a break. If you look at the pitch on 4th day, it really looks very bad. It is hardly level and looks more like a recently dug mine field than a cricket pitch. The only problem is that Australia does not have a 2nd spinner because Indians would be worried as well to bat against two spinners on day 5. Pattinson has to be given a lot of credit to bowl without intimidation on rather unsupportive pitch. I think indian pace bowlers can learn a lot from him as to how to bowl fast on Indian pitches.

cricfan41648276
on February 25, 2013, 20:42 GMT

Good to see the rise of Moises - a test cricketer.The kind of temperament n patience he's shown - amazing. All the very best, Henriques.
Abt Oz batting (apart frm Mose) - it's been really a poor performance. Not that they're up against a very high quality spin attack nor d pitch is unplayable (- their last pair's shown it). Its just d poor technique n a negative mindset they've - affected them. d squad-selection was out of sense. Yeah, agree that d Oz doesnt have some very good spinners, but should've used all d resources available. four pacers bt only a (mediocre) spinner on d Chepauk pitch wud never help U to win a Test. For d next test, I'd like to see some changes in d Oz XI - Doherty in for Siddle/Starc, Khawaja for Hughes. Watson should be opening with Warner, n MJ at #4.
Also, India should play Ojha. N what to say abt ignoring Rahane consistently? Rahane is the most deserving candidate for d opening slot in d country. Meanwhile Vijay's been a waste.

Dravid_Pujara_Gravitas
on February 25, 2013, 20:42 GMT

Well written Bryan. But here is my two cents. It's of no use to just overcome the fear factor. An honest inquiry would tell you that having the personnel is as important as playing fearless cricket. England got the better of India because they had the personnel to make changes from second test and not just that they played fearless cricket. What about Aussies? They need two quality spinners. IMO, Australia and India both need to develop better personnel suitable for all conditions. We get found out on your pitches and you got found out on our pitches, batting and bowling alike for both the teams, unlike England who beat us hands down recently.

cricfan41648276
on February 25, 2013, 20:24 GMT

Good to see the rise of Moises - a test cricketer. Last time i saw him when he was playing in ODIs n T20s, as a brash, aggressive player who knows only to attack. But in this test the kind of temperament n patience he's shown - it really assures a very good career with d baggy green. All the very best, Henriques.
Abt Oz batting (apart frm Mose) - they've been batting really bad. Its not that they're up against a very high quality spin attack nor d pitch is unplayable - their last pair's shown it. Its just d poor technique n may be a negative mindset they've - affected them. Also their squad-selection was out of sense. Yeah, agree that d Oz dont have some very good spinners, but still they should've used all d resources available to them. 4 pacers bt only a mediocre spinner on d Chepauk pitch wud never help U to win a Test. For d next test, I'd like to see some changes in d Oz XI - Doherty in for Siddle/Starc, Khwaja for Hughes. Watson should be opening with Warner, n MJ at #4.
Also, India should play Ojha , dropping Bhajji or even Jadeja for that matter wont b a bad thing. N what to say abt playing Vijay n ignoring Rahane consistently? Rahane is the most deserving candidate for d opening slot in d country. Meanwhile Vijay's been a waste. Replacing Viru with Dhawan wont b a bad idea either.

dummy4fb
on February 25, 2013, 20:05 GMT

I would argue that the problem is not "fear" but technical. Phil Hughes displayed a lack of footwork - either forward or back - against spin in Australia. His performances in this Test were extremely predictable. Likewise, Warner is capable of being dismissed with more than two good balls in a row by spin. The others are much more capable against slow bowling and will do well at different stages in this series.

I would like to see spinner - preferably Doherty - replace Siddle in the next match. This would be a better balanced side for the conditions.

AjaySridharan
on February 25, 2013, 19:57 GMT

What a balanced and well-written article, giving credit where it is due, and laying blame where it is warranted. This is so much better perspective, than the schoolboy quality article that Sharda Ugra put out there, calling the pitch "spiteful" and aiding the Indians...as if that is a crime.

samincolumbia
on February 25, 2013, 19:56 GMT

Aussies can overcome fear, how will they overcome the lack of talent and lack of spine?

Simoc
on February 25, 2013, 19:15 GMT

Oz have been comprehensively outplayed in this test and with the team selected that is not a surprise. The continuing poor form of Wade and Hughes is a problem. They will probably only make one change for the next test and because Siddle is a waste of space in India he should be the one to go.

riverbaby11
on February 25, 2013, 19:10 GMT

If Aussies can manage another 60 runs or so then the game is on. We have gotten better at chasing over the last few years but 110 + will be a good enough target to defend.

bumsonseats
on February 25, 2013, 19:04 GMT

you knew before you left oz what the wickets would be like. same as met england. you knew the Indians were after you for the perceived green tops that you and England gave them, 4 - 0 hidings. now you know whats awaiting you over the next 3 test. select your team with 2 able spinners even if you have send for another spinner. without the Indian captains knock i feel you would have had a lead and if you had played the same, India could have been chasing 250+ which on that wicket could have proved invaluable. but 4 pace bowlers is not the way to go.

dummy4fb
on February 25, 2013, 19:04 GMT

I gotta say this. Most of the people & claim-to-be-experts' notion is that footwork means putting a big foot forward & smother the spin - not necessarily. This giant forward stride can also be interpreted as committing yourself into a shot too early. I think Moises 'portuguese' Henriques displayed a hugely impressive demonstration of back-foot play today. His use of the depth of the crease was simply exquisite. You don't always have to dance down the ground every other ball like MJ Clarke. You can take a gentle forward stride, retreat back into the crease if necessary & play the ball under your eye as well. I think many fans will agree that Matt prior has a similar back-foot technique for countering spin. I think this particular feature of moises' innings(both 1st & 2nd) needs to be highlighted & taken note of.

Webba84
on February 25, 2013, 18:59 GMT

@Erebus26 I think before our batsmen try to get more positive they should perhaps work on their judgement and concentration. And if Wade isn't practicing the sweep shot every day between now and the next test he doesn't deserve to be in the team. Hughes better sort his game out quick too, he's looked more fragile with the bat than Lyon so far! Clarke, Henriques (and maybe Warner) aside, the Aussie batsmen have far greater problems than not being aggressive enough.

Webba84
on February 25, 2013, 18:49 GMT

@phunny_game Of course you are right mate, don't expect fans on either side to be rational, its just not in most peoples nature to see things as they really are. An aussie victory is of course possible, but extremely unlikely, the best they can realistically hope for is a fourth innings that gives them a chance to demonstrate they can learn from their mistakes and take some momentum into the next game.

gsingh7
on February 25, 2013, 18:49 GMT

if hope saome aus fans must be joking. even if last wicket take lead to 200 with half day left, indians have enough know how to score them , sehwag cud single handedly make these runs, also during last wicket partnership there were several close calls. hope is futile for this test

ThatsJustCricket
on February 25, 2013, 18:31 GMT

@Erebus26 : I can tell you why Sharma keeps getting selected, coz we don't have anyone else available right now. You can figure the sorry state of affairs from that.
@Aussasinator : quite agree with you. A lead of 100 or 120 on a fifth day pitch that is turning and jumping, you never know. If aus can get 2/3 early wickets, panic can get the better of the indians.

Jaissy
on February 25, 2013, 18:16 GMT

very well played moises,read the last para of this article.very impressed,i think other aussie playa should also show this intent..good luck for future...

dummy4fb
on February 25, 2013, 18:09 GMT

Well,,very negative test cricket from dhoni...he is just making the fast bowling a dying art in India...just look who wud like to b a fast bowler if he continues to demand such dust bowls which spun outrageouslyy from day oneee...!!!! Warneee wud hav been itching to cum back though...!!!same thing misbah has done which the pitch demands in last 2 years in dubai and he has hit badly to the experience and exposure of our fast bowlerss...!!!only Srilanka are doing right things in terms of making supporting pitches in Sub-continent after murali's retirement. Sum may disagree tht aussies and proties do the same to Asian teams but we suffer more than they do in subcontinent...they hav learned more playing spin than Asian teams showing their pity against the moving ball on hard and fast pitches...!!!

Apocalypse_EX
on February 25, 2013, 17:36 GMT

What Australia would do to have a Macgill around.

phunny_game
on February 25, 2013, 17:28 GMT

I can't believe people are actually thinking this test can go to Australia. A talk of Australia winning the next test, or even the series may seem more practical at this point but winning this test is asking for a bit too much i guess...

dummy4fb
on February 25, 2013, 17:16 GMT

Hughes ought to be alarmed

FighterKallis
on February 25, 2013, 17:13 GMT

aus bring bailey,doolan,fergussen,cosgrove.

Mocherra
on February 25, 2013, 16:51 GMT

If Aussies had 2 or more spinners then a lead of 100 or 125 would make sense but with 3 fast bowlers, will that really matter? Can Lyon take 6 or 7 wickets if they are defending 100 runs?? I do not think so!

usernames
on February 25, 2013, 16:46 GMT

I have a sneaky feeling about this one going to Australia. Let's hope that it's just a sneaky feeling, and doesn't come true. *horror*

Erebus26
on February 25, 2013, 16:45 GMT

If Henriques can go and put these pie throwers to the sword tomorrow and get about 120-130 by lunch then Clarke can declare. Then it will be game on as the Indian batsmen will be facing Lyon and Clarke on a real turner, and the psychological edge will be with the Aussies due to the fact that the Indians will be having nightmares about Swann and Panesar again. I'm saying this in jest obviously, but Moises Henriques and some of the tail enders seem to bat with more application than the recognised batsmen (Clarke apart). Clarke was really unlucky to get a snorter because he's looked fairly comfortable facing this Indian attack. The Aussies have to be more positive in Hyderabad - they have to realise that Harbhajan is passed it, Ashwin is the bowler that got destroyed by England and the Aussies themselves back home and that Jadeja is a part-timer. The Indian pace bowlers are hardly worth mentioning - why does Sharma keep getting picked?

Aussasinator
on February 25, 2013, 16:07 GMT

if they get a lead of 100 plus then anything can happen. Remember the side batting last is India.

Batmanindallas
on February 25, 2013, 15:54 GMT

Aussies got lucky as Indians played Harbhajan instead of Ojha.

Kangroos.Proteas.Monkeys.Lions
on February 25, 2013, 15:54 GMT

Does not seem to be the fear factor actually. India has spinners who can make impact and they did. Aussies experimented with all pace attack and moises as an attacking allrounder. The showed their intent to develop a one man show in spin like warne. It was obvious since day one that spinners will make marry on this dust bowl but aussies got positives from this test as a paceman took five, moises came big with the bat and obviously superior bowling skills were needed. Lyon was partly effective and is certainly not the best spin bowling option that Aussies have. Next match Doherty should be tried and probably one more spinner based on the observations of this match. However, aussies are losing but they are experimenting as well in the right direction for future.

rscricfan270
on February 25, 2013, 15:46 GMT

U are expecting too much mate

Front-Foot-Lunge
on February 25, 2013, 15:36 GMT

It speaks volumes to say Clarke is Australia's best 'spin' bowler. What ever happened to the Shane Warne Spin Academy?

VinodGupte
on February 25, 2013, 15:32 GMT

if (a big if) AUS lead by 125+, the match is ON. p'ship for the 9th wicket for IND was 100+. no reason why it can't be for AUS.

vatsap
on February 25, 2013, 15:09 GMT

The match is not over yet, let us wait for 2-0 for sometime. The assured way the 2 aussies were batting, if they bat for an hour a lead of 100+ cannot be ruled out and Clarke's golden arm could do the trick.

No featured comments at the moment.

vatsap
on February 25, 2013, 15:09 GMT

The match is not over yet, let us wait for 2-0 for sometime. The assured way the 2 aussies were batting, if they bat for an hour a lead of 100+ cannot be ruled out and Clarke's golden arm could do the trick.

VinodGupte
on February 25, 2013, 15:32 GMT

if (a big if) AUS lead by 125+, the match is ON. p'ship for the 9th wicket for IND was 100+. no reason why it can't be for AUS.

Front-Foot-Lunge
on February 25, 2013, 15:36 GMT

It speaks volumes to say Clarke is Australia's best 'spin' bowler. What ever happened to the Shane Warne Spin Academy?

rscricfan270
on February 25, 2013, 15:46 GMT

U are expecting too much mate

Kangroos.Proteas.Monkeys.Lions
on February 25, 2013, 15:54 GMT

Does not seem to be the fear factor actually. India has spinners who can make impact and they did. Aussies experimented with all pace attack and moises as an attacking allrounder. The showed their intent to develop a one man show in spin like warne. It was obvious since day one that spinners will make marry on this dust bowl but aussies got positives from this test as a paceman took five, moises came big with the bat and obviously superior bowling skills were needed. Lyon was partly effective and is certainly not the best spin bowling option that Aussies have. Next match Doherty should be tried and probably one more spinner based on the observations of this match. However, aussies are losing but they are experimenting as well in the right direction for future.

Batmanindallas
on February 25, 2013, 15:54 GMT

Aussies got lucky as Indians played Harbhajan instead of Ojha.

Aussasinator
on February 25, 2013, 16:07 GMT

if they get a lead of 100 plus then anything can happen. Remember the side batting last is India.

Erebus26
on February 25, 2013, 16:45 GMT

If Henriques can go and put these pie throwers to the sword tomorrow and get about 120-130 by lunch then Clarke can declare. Then it will be game on as the Indian batsmen will be facing Lyon and Clarke on a real turner, and the psychological edge will be with the Aussies due to the fact that the Indians will be having nightmares about Swann and Panesar again. I'm saying this in jest obviously, but Moises Henriques and some of the tail enders seem to bat with more application than the recognised batsmen (Clarke apart). Clarke was really unlucky to get a snorter because he's looked fairly comfortable facing this Indian attack. The Aussies have to be more positive in Hyderabad - they have to realise that Harbhajan is passed it, Ashwin is the bowler that got destroyed by England and the Aussies themselves back home and that Jadeja is a part-timer. The Indian pace bowlers are hardly worth mentioning - why does Sharma keep getting picked?

usernames
on February 25, 2013, 16:46 GMT

I have a sneaky feeling about this one going to Australia. Let's hope that it's just a sneaky feeling, and doesn't come true. *horror*

Mocherra
on February 25, 2013, 16:51 GMT

If Aussies had 2 or more spinners then a lead of 100 or 125 would make sense but with 3 fast bowlers, will that really matter? Can Lyon take 6 or 7 wickets if they are defending 100 runs?? I do not think so!